Authorities have arrested 15 people in connection with Wednesday’s attack on mayoral candidate Erika Briones in Villa de Reyes, San Luis Potosí.

The investigation has been turned over to the federal Attorney General’s Office, said Government Secretary Jorge Daniel Hernández. The state has also established a new strategy to strengthen security in the municipality, he said.

Briones, a candidate for the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), released a tearful video after gunmen attacked her and her family on Wednesday. She accused the National Guard of doing nothing to stop the attack and hinted that the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was responsible.

“These are dirty games … the PRI has to recognize that they lost Villa de Reyes, that the people don’t want them. They hate them,” Briones said.

Hernández, however, said there was no indication that party leaders played a role in the attack. The real problem, he said, was that supporters on both sides were committing reprehensible acts like the attack against Briones.

He added that due to the level of animosity in this year’s race, the state will continue to monitor the situation.

Sources: El Universal (sp)